


Day 13. Guarded | CyberLife Halloween Office Party

by steadycoffeeflow (Salimity)



Series: Inktober 2018 [13]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: CyberLife (Detroit: Become Human), CyberLife Wins Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Halloween Costumes, Inktober 2018, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Office Party, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 16:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16768423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salimity/pseuds/steadycoffeeflow
Summary: And with that comment, Steady realized she’d done something mortally wrong. A fatal misstep. Any defense she had died and withered within her gut.Steady’s life was a step-by-step guide on how to lose people and alienate friends, each mistake a stone she’d leap to, one to the next. This was shaping up to be another stone.She pulled back the tinfoil from the dessert, exposing the deep indigo within. “Is it...well. I thought it would be nice.”





	Day 13. Guarded | CyberLife Halloween Office Party

**Author's Note:**

> RK belongs to [MathazarMillenian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MathazarMillenian/pseuds/MathazarMillenian), who, for being the quietest deviant, has been one of the loudest voices of support I've ever heard in my life.
> 
> Anyways, here's the awkward CyberLife office party everyone wants to be invited to. I really want to write more of this when I get the time, and had planned a follow-up piece before my creativity/motivation crashed again.

“Why did you go and do such a thing?” The laughter was cruel, but let Steady know there was nothing behind it beyond superficial malice. There were no suspicions. Still, there was reason to be guarded.

Steady raised her voice in defense. “Carol, I made you a dairy-free dessert. It’s  _ nice _ to be inclusive.”

“Yeah but I’m a human, Terra.”

And with that comment, Steady realized she’d done something mortally wrong. A fatal misstep. Any defense she had died and withered within her gut.

Steady’s life was a step-by-step guide on how to lose people and alienate friends, each mistake a stone she’d leap to, one to the next. This was shaping up to be another stone.

She pulled back the tinfoil from the dessert, exposing the deep indigo within. At the sight, she made tears spring to her eyes and she looked over to Marissa, who she shared a cubicle wall with. Thought about something dark - the dog she had in grade school and how her arms would never be full of that white fluff again - and the tears came easy then. “Is it...well. I thought it would be nice.”

“Oh Terra.” Marissa leaned forward, patting her shoulder. Steady hunched up over the bright indigo.

“It’s a waste of thirium,” Carol interrupted. “We’re fighting wars for that and you used it for Jell-O.”

“Carol, lay off. She was being kind.”

“Well I don’t think that’s an excuse to be thoughtless.”

“Pumpkin pie, anyone?” a new voice interjected, lofting a glass dish high in the air as a distraction.

The CyberLife break room was more or less three rooms adjoined into a central hub. It was the nicest break room Steady had ever been allowed to use in her life. And this was just the one on her floor. Sometimes she stole up to other break rooms - mostly so no one would notice one or two snack bags taken wouldn't be easily traced back to her.

Given the grandeur of the building, the decorations seemed small and out of place. Orange and black and purple didn’t really  _ jive _ with CyberLife blue and white. But the decorations had been put up by HR just a few hours before the potluck and were likely used each year.

This event was for the Marketing and on-site Sales team, people having brought chili, pies, finger foods and other various desserts. Steady was excited to get the free food at the price of exchanging desserts.

She just...had genuinely thought the office androids would have been invited.

Marissa squeezed Steady’s shoulder tighter. “It  _ was _ nice. C’mon. I want whipped cream shot into my mouth before it’s all gone.”

“Thanks,” Steady said, laughing despite herself, wiping her eyes. She set the thirium dessert on the counter, apart from the rest of the food just in case someone was confused. Shoved to the edges of the room, no one else could eat it. It, therefore, had no worth.

Everyone had settled in within ten minutes, idle chit chat as people loaded up their plates and social divisions were formed. Steady and Marissa stayed near each other, social politeness inhabiting the half-foot space between them at any given time.

He was almost missed, in the bustle of it all.

Why he was there, Steady wasn’t sure. Maybe just to check in that everyone’s needs were met. He kept to the walls while Steady complained about new integration protocols the C-Suite was rolling out. Let someone else take the reins of the conversation just as he walked past the bowl. Then he froze, drawing close to backtrack and examine it. Steady excused herself without a word.

“It’s android safe,” she said, voice low as she used the sink as an excuse to stand near him, filling a cup up of water. “Have some. It’ll go to waste otherwise.” He hesitated - designation 30. RK. He looked over his shoulder. She sensed it, the negative response, and headed it off. “Or, if you feel better, I’ll bring you some. To your office. After the party.”

His grip relaxed. Even blue. “Thank you.” Soft and quiet. Then, he offered a smile. “Would you like a fresh pot of coffee, for the party?”

Steady laughed, swished the water in her mug and then looked over the gathered humans. The only one who had glanced at her so far was Marissa. Everyone else were just people in odd, low-key costumes. Steady could barely recall their names. “Yeah. I’d like that. And I’ll be over later.”

RK nodded, busying himself with filling the coffee pot with water, eyes occasionally resting on the blue dessert. Marissa ticked an eyebrow at RK’s back, her angel halo bouncing. Steady wiggled her fingers and didn’t say anything else, already pushing her luck. She rejoined the group. “He’s making us coffee,” Steady said, gesturing with her mug. “I think I need it if Samson wants us staying for that 8pm meeting.”

“Oh god. Thank him for me,” Marissa whispered, and Steady hummed in agreement.


End file.
